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Jan 19, 2017

3 Ways to turn Drawing Despair into Action - Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

It's January, time to start new things. Your new
sketchbook and pencils are ready; you want to draw. Flush with excitement you
start.

Oh no. That line is wrong, you erase, you start
again. Erase. Draw a bit more, not quite happy but keep
going. “I am not going to erase, just draw’” You say to yourself. But then, it's not right. Erase some more. Slowly but surely your confidence wanes and
you become discouraged.

Simple but nice study of a flower

We have all been there.

I did not go to art school. I did not take art classes in high school.
But I did have that passion to create. My journey took me first to fiber and
fabric and then to drawing. Learning to draw was a hard journey with many
emotional ups and downs. You wonder, how
did I keep going. I learned from my
students at school. I taught in a high
school Learning Center helping students with Learning Disabilities cope with
school and its demands. They wanted to
be successfully but learning was a frustrating experience for them.

They taught me a lot.

1.Give yourself little
encouragers to keep going:

No I don’t mean a
piece of chocolate when you finish a page, but if that helps try it. With drawing, it’s the little things that
make you feel good. Materials you like,
a sketchbook that is right for your medium. This is not the time to ‘make do’. Big Books can bog you down – 9 x 12 is nice
in the studio 5.5 x 8 for field work.

Working with light and shadows

Start on page 2. That first blank page has way too much power,
flip the page and start working. You can
always glue a special picture on the first page, make it a title page or leave
it as a cover.
Large repetitious areas are discouraging and bog you down. If you are bored,
move around the picture. Mix it up. Detail work then back to boring fill type
areas. Also, Don’t feel you have to
finish every picture. This is a
sketchbook. Have a focus skill you want to
work on, once its done, move on if you like.

2.Make that inner critic work for you not against youDeveloping a good inner critic is important. Being able to critic your own work really
helps your work improve.But you
need to make it work with you. When you
work, stop, look at what is happening on the page. (If you are sitting, put your book on an
easel and step back).

I know this is when that destructive voice
takes over. Beat it to the punch. Ask yourself: What do I like about this picture? What is my favourite spot? What
makes it so good? How can I use that in
other parts of the drawing? See, you
have him busy giving you good feedback that is productive.

Ink & Coloured Pencil - I find this intriguing, it seems to show the stages of development.

3.Celebrate your successes

I think this is something
that is so easy to take for granted. The
drawing is done, you turn the page and move on.
I work in graphite which smudges after a while in a sketchbook. When I finish a drawing that has lots of
shading, I give it a light spray with fixative so it will stay nice. I put my
book on an easel at the end of my drawing session. I enjoy my drawings. When I
come back into my studio, it gives me a lift to see what I have done. Looking
through my book feels good, I have nice, clean pictures to look back on. I can
see where I came from, I can see my improvement, and I celebrate that.

I love these little pigs - To me being unfinished adds to the interest,

Learning to draw can
be a challenging and rewarding experience.
But it also is an emotional rollercoaster. Keeping yourself moving forward will definitely lead to
success.

Do you have tricks and
treats to keep yourself on track? I’d love to hear what works for you.

2.Buy a few of my Zentangle Doodle Cards and start Colouring.See my collection here. They are fabulous fun, just imagine how special your cards will be when you personalize them like that. Those special people in your life will cherish your cards.

February is Marketing Month for Artists, time to really work on your Business Plan. Join me for a full day of getting ready to make 2017 your Best Sales Year ever.

All day Marketing Workshop - Let's Get Your Art Out There - Sunday, Feb 26 or March 5, 10-3pm. This is an opportunity to work with a small group focusing on ways that work for you, to market your art. Whether you are looking at full time or part Art Sales, there are effective, proven strategies that will get your work out the door. $70 Limited to 8 per session. Art by Wendy Studio/Gallery, N. Surrey, BC. REGISTER NOW with Wendy. Out of Towners & Skytrainers give me a call and we can set something up.

Etsy Shop now Open: WendyMouldsArt Come on In!!
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Meet Wendy

Canadian Drawing Master, Drawing Society of Canada.
Wildlife Artist.
I love to draw in pencil, ink and watercolour. My passion is “bringing nature to life”. Pet portraits are my specialty. For Sales or Commissions contact me, I would enjoy working with you. Thanks for stopping by.